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Saw Uncle Ted Last Night


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Every year there is a trip to see Ted Nugent.  His tickets are cheaper than what KISS charges, and the music is just as important to me.  The closest show to me this year was in Roanoke, Virginia, so this show required some extra travel time.  Fortunately, the weather was nice for a hot summer day. 

The opener was Mark Mackay, a country singer.  He sounded good, and he was entertaining when he spoke to the audience. 

Ted Nugent went on stage a little before 9:00 PM.  This year he is touring as a three piece band again.  Since 2016 his drummer has been Jason Hartless who was around 21 or so when he first toured with Ted.   (Ted took Tommy Clufetos on tour when he was about the same age, and now he plays with Ozzy Osbourne.)  Greg Smith is playing bass again.  

The setlist is close to what was played last year.  The song Crave was requested by a bunch of people on Facebook, so Ted played it.  His new song, The Music Made Me Do It, was dropped. 

As for Ted's playing, he was on fire as much as he ever was.  He has been reworking arrangements of some of his songs.  Wang Dang Sweet Poontang now includes part of Hibernation.  He has mixed the licks and melodies of some of his other songs, too.  The signature licks are still in his solos to help you keep up with a song while being totally reworked.  More than in the past, the solos are about as free form as can be except for those parts that have to be there.  Even then Ted is playing in the same range of notes with the same tone settings, but he is playing off the top of his head.  That is the magic of Ted Nugent's playing.  He really can play.  Age is not stopping him. 

Ted has a habit of stating his age a year ahead of where it is.  He said last night that he is 70.  To be more correct, this is his 70th year which does not actually make him 70 yet.  You would think the writer of Wang Dang Sweet Poontang would want to get in as many "69" references as possible.  He played games with the chorus of Cat Scratch Fever, singing "scratch that beaver, gonna eat that beaver." 

There were Magnatone amps across the stage in addition to the Kustom amps Ted has been using for the past few years.  

Someone has posted video from last night's show.  Be forewarned that some of the language is not safe for work. 

I have a FREE single ticket for tonight's show in Nashville.  Contact me if you want it.  Derek St. Holmes will be there. 

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1 hour ago, Steve Haynie said:

Ted has a habit of stating his age a year ahead of where it is.  He said last night that he is 70.  To be more correct, this is his 70th year which does not actually make him 70 yet.  You would think the writer of Wang Dang Sweet Poontang would want to get in as many "69" references as possible.  He played games with the chorus of Cat Scratch Fever, singing "scratch that beaver, gonna eat that beaver." 

I'm not sure which is creepier, him saying it or you reporting it.

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I saw him last summer and his playing and singing was devastatingly good. If anything, he plays better now than BITD. Like Jeff Beck in that regard.  Like him or hate him, Sweaty Teddy is all about rock and roll guitar.

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3 hours ago, Steve Haynie said:

To be more correct, thiHe played games with the chorus of Cat Scratch Fever, singing "scratch that beaver, gonna eat that beaver." 

Ah, the Motor City Meathead. Ya gotta love ol’ Theodore. Wotta yutz!

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Was Ted still spending too much time preaching about the 2nd amendment.  I'm a proud firearm owner but please Ted we came to see and hear you play,  just play.  And when he does play his heart is in it.  No faking his way thru his well known stuff and picking up the check like many of the "classic rockers" do on the Summer Festival Ribs & Chili & hotdog eating tour. Ted's loincloth is long gone. 😥Probly not a bad thing. 

More Maalox backstage than recreational meds on the Summer Festival Circuit. 🍻😎

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1 hour ago, princeofdarkness56 said:

Love me some Ted minus the rants.

Same here.  Gotta separate the art from the artist sometimes.  

When you can.  

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4 hours ago, princeofdarkness56 said:

Love me some Ted minus the rants. I prefer the band with a second guitarist. 

This (both actually).  He works much better for me with the second guitarist - it really keeps the groove behind his soloing.

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The first time I heard his presentation in trio format was 2000, with Marco Mendoza on bass and Tommy Aldridge on drums. Got-Taw-Mitey, wotta rhythm section. Aldridge is a machine. It'd be hard for any other bass player and drummer w/ Nugent to top that lineup, IMO...and I heard some subsequent concerts by Nuge trios with other players in the ensuing years.

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15 hours ago, princeofdarkness56 said:

Love me some Ted minus the rants. I prefer the band with a second guitarist. 

Agree on both points.  I'll add that the last album of his I actually liked pretty much all the way through was Nugent (black album) in 1982.  And I prefer that if he tours with a second guitarist, that the second guitarist also be the lead singer.  Might I suggest Derek St. Holmes?  If you haven't heard the Whitford/St. Holmes album Reunion, stream it.  Derek's singing, playing, and songwriting is all top tier stuff and it's got a couple of the best Aerosmith songs that Aerosmith never did I've heard in 30 years.

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